Alternative Mutual-Aid Groups

Philosophy: SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training (www.smartrecovery.org). It’s centered on a four-point program that emphasizes enhancing and maintaining motivation to abstain from addictive behavior; learning how to cope with urges and cravings; using rational ways to manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; and balancing short-term and long-term pleasures and satisfactions in life. The program’s tools are based on evidence-based interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing.

Reach: SMART Recovery has approximately 1,000 meetings worldwide. It reaches an expanded audience through technology, offering online meetings and activities and maintaining a presence on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Philosophy: Moderation Management (www.moderation.org) is designed for people who believe their drinking has become problematic and want to moderate it before it gets harder to control. Participants are asked first to abstain from alcohol for 30 days, and during this time they are encouraged to think about how drinking has affected their lives and under which circumstances they had been drinking. After the 30 days of abstinence, participants are given guidelines about how to drink moderately. Participants who have trouble keeping their drinking moderate are encouraged to consider complete abstinence.

Philosophy: Women for Sobriety (www.womenforsobriety.org) is designed to provide a safe, nurturing, and empowering environment for women in recovery. Its New Life Acceptance Program is centered on 13 principles emphasizing positive thinking, personal responsibility, and embracing the future instead of rehashing past mistakes.

Philosophy: LifeRing (www.lifering.org) has adopted a “3-S” philosophy focused on sobriety (abstinence from alcohol or drugs), secularity (recovery focused on human efforts vs. divine intervention), and self-help (personal motivation and effort as the key to recovery).

Reach: LifeRing had 177 meetings worldwide as of September. Most of these meetings are in the United States, especially in the Bay Area of northern California. LifeRing also offers a variety of online resources, including chat rooms, e-mail groups, an Internet-based bulletin board, and a social networking site.

Philosophy: SOS’ programming (www.sossobriety.org) is based on its Suggested Guidelines for Sobriety, which emphasize sobriety as a member’s top priority in life. Participants must develop strategies to remain sober even when facing situations that make them want to go back to drinking or using drugs.